The brown recluse is native to the United States and can be observed from West Texas northeastward to Ohio and eastward to Georgia. The venomous spider is considered dangerous to man.

Ahh, Halloween. During the weeks leading up to this fall holiday, our minds are inundated by images that range from creepy to downright horrifying. Many of the images that bring about fear incorporate animals that many people consider terrifying, including bats, rats, wolves, snakes and probably the most feared: spiders. One species found in West Texas is among the most feared — the brown recluse.

The brown recluse belongs to the family Sicariidae, or the six-eyed Sicariid spiders. Six-eyed Sicariid spiders are a large and diverse family of spiders with about 120 species that can be found in all of this planet's temperate regions. This group is represented in Texas by one genera with five species. However, the most familiar and most feared member of these species is the brown recluse, Loxosceles reclusa.

The brown recluse, like other species of arachnids, has a body that consists of two parts — the cephalothorax and the abdomen — as well as the customary eight legs. This species of spider is rather drab, for as the common name implies, the dorsal coloration of adults is primarily brown, although their color can range from tan to almost a pale yellow. Oftentimes, the abdomen is darker than the cephalothorax.

There are few distinctive markings on the backside, save for a dark blotch that superficially resembles a violin. This violin-shaped marking starts right behind the eyes and extends toward the abdomen, with the neck of the violin pointing backward. This violin-shaped marking also is the source of the common name "fiddleback spider." Occasionally there is a darker line that extends along the midline of the abdomen, although this is not always the case.

It is a rather small species of spider, with males having a body length of just one-third of an inch.

Females are slightly larger, and both sexes have a leg-span that approaches 1 inch.

Several other species of spider resemble the brown recluse in pattern and size, but one morphological characteristic can be used for positive identification. While most species of spiders have eight eyes in the front portion of the cephalothorax, the brown recluse has just six.

The eyes are arranged in three pairs: one pair centered in the front and one on either lateral side of the cephalothorax.

Because it is a predatory rather than an ambush hunter, the brown recluse is not an intricate web maker. It naturally has a preference to live in reclusive places such as under rocks and rotting logs, although it has adapted well to human encroachment by thriving in cellars, attics, woodpiles, garages and sheds.

In these human-created habitats, this species prefers areas that are dark, dry and undisturbed, and many times will be encountered in shoes and clothes piled in closets.

The brown recluse is native to the United States and can commonly be observed from West Texas northeastward to Ohio and eastward to Georgia.

Prey items accepted by this species include just about any invertebrate creature that is small enough to be tracked down and overpowered, including many harmful and nuisance species such as the nonnative fire ant.

As with other spiders, food is eaten in an odd, if not disturbing, way. The fangs are inserted into the prey, much like short, hollow straws, and the insides of the food are sucked from within. The exoskeleton that remains is discarded after the feeding. This is akin to a person drinking a milkshake.

We drink the contents of the cup, then throw away the inedible container.

Unbelievable to most people, given their dastardly reputation, most brown recluse spiders are quite timid. Typically they retreat when confronted by a larger animal, biting only as the last line of self-defense. As with all other spider species, this species is venomous. However, only two species that can be observed in West Texas are considered to be dangerous to man: this species and the black widow.

Unlike the vast majority of other spider bites, the bite of a brown recluse can be of serious consequence, depending on a plethora of variables. Rather than going into the gory details here, if one feels like they have been bitten by a recluse, the best course of action is to remain calm, make a positive identification of the spider and get to a medical facility as quickly as possible. Fatalities from recluse bites are rare, but that is still no reason to not seek medical attention if bitten.

Michael Price is the director of the San Angelo Nature Center. Contact him at michael.price@sanangelotexas.us.